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Post by Richie on Feb 16, 2009 4:56:55 GMT -5
surely you all remember the falsetto-y chorus in the song Grace Kelly, and can't help but know the melodies to Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) and Love Today because of its over use in shopping mall/cafe soundtracks... well, guess what. Mikas back, and apparently with a new record on the way. i suppose its worth noting who does their new string arrangements (or maybe just pizzicato arrangments?).. if you like you can skip ahead to about 3:00, or just watch the entire thing ( Both Here), which really isn't bad. ..awfully reminiscent of the The Last Shadow Puppets isn't it. honestly I'm not a huge fan of either Last Shadow Puppets or Mika--however i can be very tollerent... soo..I'm wondering Owen, would you consider this album to be a priority purchase which consist of excellent music or just a job which had to be done to afford future steps toward your own upcoming releases? |
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Post by Scarychips on Feb 16, 2009 7:40:13 GMT -5
Hmm, you know, I quite like Mika. He's not one of my favourites, but I quite like his songs, when they aren't overplayed. Which they were.
If I hear the final rpoduct and the strings arrangements can be heard. I'l download a couple of the songs, but meh.
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Post by nocturn on Feb 16, 2009 8:05:42 GMT -5
Working with Mika, that's big! Awesome. Mika is... I like a few of his songs. I look forward to hearing his new stuff.
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Post by Owen from Final Fantasy on Feb 16, 2009 11:38:08 GMT -5
I have no concept of "good" music vs. "bad" music. To me, all music is good. Some of it is better than others. The best music is The Fall, and everything else is still good, though not as good as The Fall.
Did The Fall use string orchestras? No... in fact, given the Brix E + Nigel Kennedy melodrama, I think Mark E Smith probably has nothing but disgust for the violin. (See: "Fiend With A Violin").
So I'm sorry if you find me playing on records you consider "bad", but... I'm an arranger. The records I work on are necessarily "bad".
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2009 11:40:28 GMT -5
Even Avro Part?
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Post by jules on Feb 16, 2009 13:08:45 GMT -5
I totally agree...well the bit about there's no such thing as "bad music". The Fall have done some very creditable stuff, but it never sits comfortably in my head. Back than preferred bands like Gang of Four, Au Pairs and The Mekons who were less sparse in their sound and more art-house post punk funk. I did like the early Throbbing Gristle industrial sound which could be sparse, but generally preferred off beat melody. The first Mika album is cheesy in parts and I was never a massive fan of the singles, but it includes one track (Any Other World) that I really liked from an orchestration point of view (even to the point of wondering how Owen would interpret it himself). As my daughter loved the album (as did Mrs Else) I heard it a lot and after a while you can put the cheese to one side and enjoy it. I'm interested in how the arrangement will work with Mika (as it worked so well with LSP) so I'll not going to go in all closed ears. For me the "Best" music from the late 70's was the early Subway Sect that never got released for some unknown reason and only a few glittering moments such as "Parallel Lines" and "Ambition" ever saw the light of day. Anyway I'm yabbering again...and I forgive you for The Fall because your output is influenced by the input you receive so it's obviously been a beneficial experience. Just keep off the "Black Lace"  |
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Post by Richie on Feb 16, 2009 16:05:19 GMT -5
I have no concept of "good" music vs. "bad" music. To me, all music is good. Some of it is better than others. So I'm sorry if you find me playing on records you consider "bad", but... I'm an arranger. The records I work on are necessarily "bad". no, no don't be. I'm sorry if I came across as an ass. I definitely would not consider Mika's first album "bad" music-truthfully at one point i considered it very very "good" music...unfortunately (and only recently) its more become one of those artist which was sentimental ruined because of a silly girl...  ...hmm, maybe this new album can give Mika and I another chance, and we can throw all sentimental attachments out the window! |
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Post by dot on Feb 16, 2009 17:13:56 GMT -5
I have no concept of "good" music vs. "bad" music. To me, all music is good. Some of it is better than others. The best music is The Fall, and everything else is still good, though not as good as The Fall. I'm afraid I am going to have to disagree with you, not about the whole good music/bad music thing, but about The Fall being the best music. My dad loves The Fall, but even though I've listened to them a good few times, I've never really got into their music. They don't move me in the way that lots of music I listen to does. I actually once went to one of their gigs once, but unfortunately it was one of the worst gigs I've ever been to (though that wasn't just me, my dad also felt that it wasn't one of their better ones). But, I do agree about the whole there is no bad music thing. There's music I love, music I like and music that I would never choose to listen too, but that doesn't make it bad, just not my thing. |
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Post by Owen from Final Fantasy on Feb 16, 2009 20:10:57 GMT -5
Music has such a high degree of chance involved in its creation that I don't think it can be discussed in terms of "good" or "bad". Not to mention subjectivity, taste-making, etc.
Phil Collins, for example, has at different times in everyone's life been "the best" and "the worst" thing, sometimes flip-flopping to the point of oscillation.
The Fall, too.
I think there's definitely "good" and "bad" music writing. "Timely", "seminal", "overrated"... these are the words of journalists. I've written a tonne of bad things about music... (usually when talking about Final Fantasy).
But music itself will always be something else. Music is numbers and notes and microphones. How can a number be good or bad?
I recognize that Mika's not the most critically praised musician in the world---especially in the Pitchfork-owned American blogosphere. But I love "Life In Cartoon Motion" and I love his new songs too. (As I mentioned in 2007) I have a mix of songs from "Cartoon" and "Magic Position" that is my go-to mix when I need some aural caffeine. And he's a lovely, hard-working guy, which means far more to me than being a critically-acclaimed, selfish, lazy asshat.
Also, I'm looking forward to Perez Hilton drawing semen on my eyeballs.
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Post by Richie on Feb 17, 2009 1:29:20 GMT -5
Music has such a high degree of chance involved in its creation that I don't think it can be discussed in terms of "good" or "bad". Not to mention subjectivity, taste-making, etc. Phil Collins, for example, has at different times in everyone's life been "the best" and "the worst" thing, sometimes flip-flopping to the point of oscillation. The Fall, too. I think there's definitely "good" and "bad" music writing. "Timely", "seminal", "overrated"... these are the words of journalists. I've written a tonne of bad things about music... (usually when talking about Final Fantasy). But music itself will always be something else. Music is numbers and notes and microphones. How can a number be good or bad? wow, getting awfully deep now aren't we? But, yes, I must agree--especially on the "bad" musical qualities in Final Fantasy.. those guys suck!I recognize that Mika's not the most critically praised musician in the world---especially in the Pitchfork-owned American blogosphere. But I love "Life In Cartoon Motion" and I love his new songs too. (As I mentioned in 2007) I have a mix of songs from "Cartoon" and "Magic Position" that is my go-to mix when I need some aural caffeine. And he's a lovely, hard-working guy, which means far more to me than being a critically-acclaimed, selfish, lazy asshat. nice...now I'm starting to get really excited for his next release! on a lighter note, are there any scheduled dates for it to be made available? Also, I'm looking forward to Perez Hilton drawing semen on my eyeballs. yes, but nowadays who isn't eagerly trying for Perez's harassment?  |
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Post by suburbanmyth on Feb 17, 2009 2:40:46 GMT -5
Music has such a high degree of chance involved in its creation that I don't think it can be discussed in terms of "good" or "bad". Not to mention subjectivity, taste-making, etc. Phil Collins, for example, has at different times in everyone's life been "the best" and "the worst" thing, sometimes flip-flopping to the point of oscillation. The Fall, too. I think there's definitely "good" and "bad" music writing. "Timely", "seminal", "overrated"... these are the words of journalists. I've written a tonne of bad things about music... (usually when talking about Final Fantasy). But music itself will always be something else. Music is numbers and notes and microphones. How can a number be good or bad? I recognize that Mika's not the most critically praised musician in the world---especially in the Pitchfork-owned American blogosphere. But I love "Life In Cartoon Motion" and I love his new songs too. (As I mentioned in 2007) I have a mix of songs from "Cartoon" and "Magic Position" that is my go-to mix when I need some aural caffeine. And he's a lovely, hard-working guy, which means far more to me than being a critically-acclaimed, selfish, lazy asshat. Also, I'm looking forward to Perez Hilton drawing semen on my eyeballs. I like Mika. I like dancing. I like dancing to Mika.  Those are all valid points but I just cannot agree that there is no such thing as 'good' or 'bad' music. *stamps foot* I think that there is most definitely good and bad music in every genre, regardless of musicianship or personal tastes. This would explain why even though I despise most Top 40 music, I can't help but sing along and shake my hips to Rhianna and JT. I don't want to like it but I can't help myself! As in art, I believe that "good" music has a quality of honesty to it. If a musician can convey some of that element of vulnerable truth, then even if I don't personally enjoy their music, I have to respect it. Even a three-chord-playin', voice-like-a-rusted-saw-singin' musician can write a good song. And the opposite is true as well. Can an over-indulgent, over-thought, technically perfect but somehow completely soulless piece of music really be considered 'good' or does it in actuality suck balls? Anyways, that's my rant and I'm now so sick of the words 'good' and 'bad' that I kinda want to never see them again. blah!  |
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Post by sarpedon on Feb 17, 2009 9:13:45 GMT -5
"overrated" or not, Mika is just fun. He's not trying to write something incredibly deep and meaningful to him like say, The Arcade Fire, just music thats fun to make, play, and listen to. I did get sick of him for a while, but grace kelly never left my head, EVER...
I am a bit tired of America's unwillingness to accept anything more than placebo music, sure its fun, but we can't relate with it ALL the time. the beach boys were (and still are) known as the american fun band, and they started having dissent when Brian wanted to be serious. If you listen to Pet Sounds closely (the last thing he did before his breakdown) you'll see how its actually one of the most depressingly beautiful albums ever. that's why I loved his brother dennis' short, yet powerful career, because his music was so soulful, and he wanted to get away from the "surfing music" image more than any of them, and he was the only actual surfer in the band.
sorry if that got off topic, but I felt it was at least somewhat relevant to the discussion.
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Post by jules on Feb 17, 2009 11:42:57 GMT -5
Can I just say that I like Cheese..well not all, I don't like the v(a/e)in stuff, which I once had to suffer a whole lot in silence because I fancied the host. We're married now so sometimes it pays to suffer for your art. Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, Life goes on, bra |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2009 13:16:08 GMT -5
Music is like cooking, you have ingredients and must be conscious of texture, taste, timing, etc.
Is there good and bad cooking? Yes.
Is personal taste what determines good or bad cooking? No.
Bad cooking is a disregard or abuse of ingredients, timing, texture, additional flavors, and overall presentation.
Is it understandable for people to like Bad cooking and maybe even dislike good cooking? Yes.
Is there such a thing as Bad cooking that turned out good? Or good cooking that turned out bad? Yes.
So in closing Animal Collective make a textbook independent music scene chili but its really not to my taste. Oh and Owen makes great pies but his cakes have too much icing.
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Post by jules on Feb 17, 2009 15:02:07 GMT -5
Music is like cooking, you have ingredients and must be conscious of texture, taste, timing, etc. Is there good and bad cooking? Yes. Is personal taste what determines good or bad cooking? No. Bad cooking is a disregard or abuse of ingredients, timing, texture, additional flavors, and overall presentation. Is it understandable for people to like Bad cooking and maybe even dislike good cooking? Yes. Is there such a thing as Bad cooking that turned out good? Or good cooking that turned out bad? Yes. So in closing Animal Collective make a textbook independent music scene chili but its really not to my taste. Oh and Owen makes great pies but his cakes have too much icing. But in defense of food, it's all too do with what your used to...I mean the thought of eating snails too me is..yuk..but to some it's a delicacy. Cheesy Peas..I mean who would have thought...yes So its all about your pallett in the end |
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